MLB News

MLB Pipeline's Prospect Team of the Week

By
Mike Rosenbaum

May 21, 2018

MLB Pipeline's Prospect Team of the Week honors the best performances from the previous seven days. Any Minor Leaguer currently on an organization Top 30 Prospects list on our Prospect Watch is eligible.This week's MLB Pipeline Team of the Week features a trio of Top 100 prospects in Vladimir Guerrero

MLB Pipeline's Prospect Team of the Week honors the best performances from the previous seven days. Any Minor Leaguer currently on an organization Top 30 Prospects list on our Prospect Watch is eligible.This week's MLB Pipeline Team of the Week features a trio of Top 100 prospects in Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Alex Reyes and Jo Adell.:: Complete prospect coverage ::Guerrero, No. 2 on the Top 100 (Blue Jays' No. 1), is making his third PTOW appearance this season, and they've all come in the past four weeks. This past week, the 19-year-old third baseman posted a pair of four-hit games for Double-A New Hampshire en route to a .516 average. He hit three home runs, including a walk-off, two-run shot in Game 1 of doubleheader on Sunday, giving Guerrero eight home runs in 39 games on the year.After slashing .388/.448/.588 in the season's first month, Guerrero somehow has been even better in May, hitting .466/.506/.822 with six home runs and 20 RBIs in 19 games.Reyes, meanwhile, appears to be nearing a return to the Major Leagues after Tommy John wiped out his 2017 campaign. The No. 17 overall prospect dominated in two rehab starts last week, striking out 25 batters over 12 2/3 scoreless innings between Class A Peoria and Double-A Springfield.2018 Prospect Teams of the WeekAs for Adell, the No. 57 overall prospect blasted five of his six home runs this season over a seven-game stretch for Class A Burlington, continuing what has been a red-hot start in his first full season.Here's the complete Prospect Team of the Week for games of May 14 through May 20.C: MJ Melendez, Lexington Legends (Class A)
(Royals' No. 4 prospect)
6 G, .417/.462/1.042, 6 R, 1 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 8 RBI, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 6 KAfter homering in back-to-back games to begin his week, the 19-year-old Melendez delivered his first career two-homer game on Thursday en route to a career-high five RBIs. The 2017 second-rounder led all Top 30 prospects in slugging and tied for second in home runs, ultimately finishing the week with a 1.503 OPS that ranked second among all Top 30 prospects.1B: Will Craig, Altoona Curve (Double-A)
(Pirates' No. 17 prospect)
6 G, .391/.423/.826, 5 R, 1 2B, 3 HR, 13 RBI, 2 BB, 4 KCraig drove in at least one run in all six games for Double-A Altoona to finish the week with most RBIs among Top 30 prospects. He did most of his damage over the weekend, as the 23-year-old went 2-for-4 with three RBIs on Saturday before capping his week with a 3-for-4, four-RBI performance that included a home run. With his big week, Craig improved his season average from .218 to .250.

2B: Shed Long, Pensacola Blue Wahoos (Double-A)
(Reds' No. 5 prospect)
7 G, .381/.435/.762, 6 R, 1 3B, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 2 BB, 5 K, 1 SBLong, 22, hit safely in five of seven games last week as he tied for the most home runs and total bases (16) among qualified Top 30 second basemen. After recording a .680 OPS over 42 Double-A contests last season, Long has returned to the level to slash .298/.361/.497 (.858 OPS) with 17 extra-base hits and six steals in his first 40 games.

3B: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Double-A)
(Blue Jays' No. 1 prospect/No. 2 overall prospect)
8 G, .516/.568/.903, 8 R, 3 2B, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 3 BB, 2 IBB, 2 HBP, 3 K, 2 SBGuerrero performed his way onto his third PTOW in six weeks by leading all Top 30 prospects in hits (16) and total bases (tied-28) while hitting .516 over eight games for Double-A New Hampshire. He turned in a pair of four-hit performances along the way, the second of which, on Saturday, saw the 19-year-old phenom hit a walk-off two-run homer. He's now tallied multiple hits in 21 of 39 games this season and leads the Eastern League in in average (tied), OPS (1.169), hits (64), doubles (16), RBIs (45) and total bases (106).

SS: Kevin Smith, Lansing Lugnuts (Class A)
(Blue Jays' No. 19 prospect)
6 G, .318/.464/.773, 7 R, 1 2B, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 5 BB, 1 IBB, 1 HBP, 5 KSmith garners PTOW honors for a second time this year, giving the Blue Jays their second PTOW left side of the infield in four weeks. He led all Top 30 shortstops in OPS (1.237) and home runs (tied) while finishing second in RBIs. The 21-year-old is hitting .368 on the season and leads the Midwest League in OPS (1.083), hits (57), doubles (20), RBIs (40) and total bases (102).OF: Jo Adell, Burlington Bees (Class A)
(Angels' No. 1 prospect/No. 57 overall prospect)
7 G, .407/.484/1.037, 6 R, 2 2B, 5 HR, 10 RBI, 4 BB, 4 K, 1 SBAdell had hit just one home run in his first 19 games before erupting to hit a Top 30-best five home runs in seven games -- highlighted by his first career two-homer performance on Tuesday -- last week for Class A Burlington. The 2017 first-rounder's (No. 10 overall) 1.521 OPS led all qualified Top 30 prospects, while his 10 RBIs ranked third. He's off to a strong start in his first full season, slashing .326/.398/.611 with six homers and 29 RBIs over 25 games in the Midwest League.

OF: Randy Arozarena, Springfield Cardinals/Memphis Redbirds (Double-A/Triple-A)
(Cardinals' No. 8 prospect)
6 G, .435/.500/.826, 9 R, 3 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 2 BB, 1 HBP, 5 KBeginning his week in Double-A, the 23-year-old outfielder hit safely in four straight games while homering twice and recording a pair of three-hit performances. He continued to rake after being promoted to Triple-A Memphis, too, as Arozarena collected at least one hit and two runs scored in two games for the Redbirds. He earned a promotion to Triple-A (where he initially began the season) after slashing .385/.418/.654 with four homers in 13 games in the Texas League.

OF: Vince Fernandez, Lancaster JetHawks (Class A Advanced)
(Rockies' No. 29 prospect)
7 G, .370/.433/.889, 8 R, 3 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 6 RBI, 3 BB, 10 KFernandez, who is on PTOW for the second straight week, hit .500 (10-for-20) over his first five games last week before combining to go 0-for-7 over the weekend. Seven of his hits were for extra bases, as the 22-year-old outfielder posted his second career two-homer game on Wednesday and then followed it with a pair of extra-base hits in each of the next two games. Fernandez has been on a tear since the calendar flipped to May, hitting .381/.494/.762 with five homers, five doubles and 18 RBIs in 18 games.

LHP: Cionel Perez, Corpus Christi Hooks (Double-A)
(Astros' No. 6 prospect)
2-0, 1.93 ERA, 2 G, 1 GS, 9.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 14 K, 0.54 WHIPPerez logged a pair of wins for Double-A Corpus Christi, one coming out of the bullpen and the other as a starter. He struck out six while allowing just one hit over four scoreless innings in the relief appearance before firing 5 1/3 frames of two-hit, two-run ball with eight strikeouts to close out the week. Overall, the 22-year-old southpaw sports a 1.87 ERA with 37 strikeouts in 33 2/3 innings for the Hooks.RHP: Alex Reyes, Peoria Chiefs/Springfield Cardinals (Class A/Double-A)
(Cardinals' No. 1 prospect/No. 17 overall prospect)
2-0, 0.00 ERA, 2 GS, 12.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 5 BB, 25 K, 0.55 WHIPReyes struck out 12 batters and allowed just one hit over five scoreless innings on Monday with Class A Peoria and then followed it by whiffing 13 over 7 2/3 one-hit frames with Double-A Springfield on Saturday. His 25 strikeouts between the two outings were far and away the most among all Top 30 hurlers, and he's now racked up 31 strikeouts in 16 scoreless innings in three rehab starts.